1. You may identify the stasis in the play but it isn’t necessarily at the beginning of the play. Where is it and who does it involve? NOTE: Do not assume that the stasis of the play is the same as the stasis of the video version that you are required to see. Only discuss the play in this and answers to the following questions. The stasis of the play begins on August 19, 1991, at 8:30 pm. A police-escorted entourage accidentally kills and injures two Guyanese American children. A private Jewish ambulance whisks away 3 Hasidic people, one driver, and two passengers. 3 hours later and five blocks away, Yankel Rosenbaum, an innocent Hasidic history professor, was stabbed by a group of black people. Rosenbaum dies at 2:00 am, some belief due to neglect by the hospital. Rioting begins due to the unfortunate deaths of the two minority groups. Blacks and Lubavitchers set fire to cars and break into stores. The driver panicked by the riots, flees America and sets foot in Isreal without sincere condolences to the Cato family. 26 characters incorporate into the play, each one a different personality, in a different class, a different religion etc.
2. Ball points out that the intrusion sometimes occurs late in the dramatic action. What is the intrusion that breaks the stasis in Fires in the MIrror and how is it broken? The intrusion is the interview with Rabbi Joseph Spielman. This is considered an intrusion because it breaks the "rhythm" of the play. The interviews before his talked about personal, societal, communal, and racial issues. His interview was solely on the accident and started a new "rhythm" and set a new topic which was the ideas and opinions about the incident and rioting situation.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor that is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place? Hint: the unique factor may have something to do with you? How does the title figure in your answer? These events take place because of the tragic death of the seven-year-old boy and the unethical death of the Lubavitch man. A chain reaction occurs and riots and hatred between blacks and the Jewish people arise. There was no longer piece within the community, the minority groups no longer coexisted.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.) Will the Cato family receive closure from Yosef Lifsh? Will the black community get justice for the neglection of the young black boys that were left under the car? Will the kids from the Rosenbaum murder get captured?
5. Use the narrator of the work to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, ie. The dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what these particular characters wants. The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles facing the narrator. The clear conflict is between the Jewish community and the Black community. Each feels as if the other is neglectful and violent. The black community feels as if the Jewish people are stuck up and too high on their horse to care for any other minority group. The Jewish people find the black community spiteful and unnecessary. Both want justice for the others actions but are too enraged to do it peacefully and respectfully.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Fires in the Mirror. 1.Emotional scene of Gavin Cato's father 2. Reuven Ostrov's interview because of the dramatic lighting and tone of voice
The stasis of the play begins on August 19, 1991, at 8:30 pm. A police-escorted entourage accidentally kills and injures two Guyanese American children. A private Jewish ambulance whisks away 3 Hasidic people, one driver, and two passengers. 3 hours later and five blocks away, Yankel Rosenbaum, an innocent Hasidic history professor, was stabbed by a group of black people. Rosenbaum dies at 2:00 am, some belief due to neglect by the hospital. Rioting begins due to the unfortunate deaths of the two minority groups. Blacks and Lubavitchers set fire to cars and break into stores. The driver panicked by the riots, flees America and sets foot in Isreal without sincere condolences to the Cato family. 26 characters incorporate into the play, each one a different personality, in a different class, a different religion etc.
2. Ball points out that the intrusion sometimes occurs late in the dramatic action. What is the intrusion that breaks the stasis in Fires in the MIrror and how is it broken?
The intrusion is the interview with Rabbi Joseph Spielman. This is considered an intrusion because it breaks the "rhythm" of the play. The interviews before his talked about personal, societal, communal, and racial issues. His interview was solely on the accident and started a new "rhythm" and set a new topic which was the ideas and opinions about the incident and rioting situation.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor that is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place? Hint: the unique factor may have something to do with you? How does the title figure in your answer?
These events take place because of the tragic death of the seven-year-old boy and the unethical death of the Lubavitch man. A chain reaction occurs and riots and hatred between blacks and the Jewish people arise. There was no longer piece within the community, the minority groups no longer coexisted.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
Will the Cato family receive closure from Yosef Lifsh?
Will the black community get justice for the neglection of the young black boys that were left under the car?
Will the kids from the Rosenbaum murder get captured?
5. Use the narrator of the work to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, ie. The dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what these particular characters wants. The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles facing the narrator.
The clear conflict is between the Jewish community and the Black community. Each feels as if the other is neglectful and violent. The black community feels as if the Jewish people are stuck up and too high on their horse to care for any other minority group. The Jewish people find the black community spiteful and unnecessary. Both want justice for the others actions but are too enraged to do it peacefully and respectfully.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Fires in the Mirror.
1.Emotional scene of Gavin Cato's father
2. Reuven Ostrov's interview because of the dramatic lighting and tone of voice